Urgent Advice Needed Pls! Which 3TB for Media Server???

[satplanet]

Hi, I have an HP ML150 G6 Media Server running WHS2011 with 4 client TVs and 2 Client laptops.

1 of my 1Tb Samsung hard drives is packing up and I would like to upgrade to a 3tb and my options are:

Seagate Barracuda
1. ST3000DM001
2. ST3000VX000 (NAS)
3. Seagate Expansion 3Tb External (its cheaper than internal - So i plan to rip drive out and use internally in Server)

or

Western Digital

1. Green WD30EZRX
2. Red WD30EFRX (NAS)
3. WD Elements 3TB External (its cheaper than internal - So i plan to rip drive out and use internally in Server)

Questions I have:

1. Does it matter if it is 5700rpm or 7200rpm for media streaming.

2. Do I need NAS drives for my server, is it worth Paying Extra?

3. Will the External Drives work in my Server? I have read of some sort of protection preventing using External Drives in Pcs.

4. I have read that the above WD drives are made for working 24/7 and the Seagate drives are not. Will this make a difference to the Seagate drives if I set them to Sleep/power down?


NB. My Server is Purely for Media Streaming and File Storage. At the moment i am running single drives and Praying i dont have any Major Crashes but am saving so i can buy more drives to run them in Raid but that is long term.

For Now, I am looking for the Cheapest, Best, Option Money can BUY!

Your help is highly appreciated!

 

[howardb]

Hey satplanet,

To answer your questions, IMO:

1. Does it matter if it is 5700rpm or 7200rpm for media streaming.
No

2. Do I need NAS drives for my server, is it worth Paying Extra?
Yes and No. You say you want the cheapest, best option - it can't be both; either the cheapest drives or the best drives... what's your budget?
I've used the WD Greens for years without issues or failures, so I'd certainly recommend them. Never used the Red's, but have heard they are woth the extra dosh.

3. Will the External Drives work in my Server? I have read of some sort of protection preventing using External Drives in Pcs.
Yes. Same SATA connections used, probably with a proprietary plug that you remove from the external.

4. I have read that the above WD drives are made for working 24/7 and the Seagate drives are not. Will this make a difference to the Seagate drives if I set them to Sleep/power down?
I've never used the sleep function on my servers or WD drives, and they've been running for about 4 years 24/7 so far with the odd re-boot and maintenance downtime. I would also look at the warranty period offered.
As a general rule of thumb, if the warranty is longer, the price is higher.

 

[Crowley]

Go with the WD green drives. You don't need fast drives for media streaming.

If you open the external to take out the drive you lose your warranty.

 

[TJ99]

What is it with this forum and Capitalising Random words all The Time?

It depends on if you want the cheapest or the best. Any of those drives are much, much faster then you will ever need for streaming purposes, so I'd go for the one with the longest warranty. Just don't take out the external drives from their casings. As mentioned you will lose the warranty instantly.

 

[Dean]

3. Will the External Drives work in my Server? I have read of some sort of protection preventing using External Drives in Pcs.

Seeing as the rest has been answered, I'll stick to the one that hasn't.

It's just a matter of the SATA/USB interface. Some externals are just plugged into a little SATA-USB interface board and therefore opening them up and using them in a PC is just a matter of unplugging the board.
However, some brands or models (ex Samsung, possibly WD Elements, you'll have to Google) actually connect the USB interface directly onto the hard drive and remove the SATA connector completely. This is where you'll run into a problem using the drive in a media server - so avoid those particular models if you go the external route.

(Again, you'll have to Google the particular model to check)

 

[satplanet]

Thx Guys for your replies! I can see why you are GRANDMASTERS!!!

I have decided to go with WD30EZRX.

All the Best!